The Shaw Rocket Fund is a non-profit organization that funds both English and French Canadian children's television and digital programs. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, it is the largest private funder for Canadian kids' media for independent producers,[1] and is one of Shaw Communications' key programs.
The Shaw Rocket Fund was created in 1998 (known then as the Shaw Television Broadcast Fund) by Shaw Communications as a private funder of Canadian kids' TV production. In 2004, Agnes Augustin became President & CEO of the Fund. Agnes was previously a Manager and Vice President of Business Affairs for production and distribution companies, Head of Production for CMT, and an independent producer.[2]
Shaw Communications continues to contribute to the Shaw Rocket Fund (over $200 million as of 2019), and the Shaw Rocket Fund has invested over $245 million into 1,003 programs of Canadian kids' content.[3]
The Shaw Rocket Fund is listed as a Certified Independent Production Fund by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
The Shaw Rocket Fund Board consists of five industry professionals.
The Shaw Rocket Fund created the Shaw Rocket Prize in 2004 as a way to award high-quality Canadian children's programs.
The Shaw Rocket Prize was an annual award, funded by the Shaw Rocket Fund, presented to one or more Canadian television programs. It started out as one $50,000 prize, awarded to the winning program, but in 2013 it expanded to three $25,000 prizes,[9] awarded to a winner in each of three categories (Preschool, Children ages 6–12 and Youth ages 13–17 & Family).[10] Production companies applied for the Prize by submitting their programs online. Eligible entries are reviewed by an International Jury,[11] made up of four to five industry professionals. Once the jury selected the finalists, another jury, made up of Canadian children, voted online for the winner. Global TV did a segment on the winners in 2014.[12] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau introduced the 2016 winner event with a video message.[13]
| Year | Jury Members | |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Deirdre Brennan, Frank Dietz, Michelle Henderson, Bob Higgins, Theresa Plummer-Andrews | |
| 2006 | Deirdre Brennan, Jennifer Canham, Dea Connick Perez, Frank Dietz, Theresa Plummer-Andrews | |
| 2007 | Donna Andrews, Malcolm Bird, Dea Connick Perez, Estelle Hughes | |
| 2008 | Finn Arnesen, Marc Buhaj, Michael Carrington, Frank Dietz, Adina Pitt | |
| 2009 | Deirdre Brennan, Geoffrey Goodwin, Bob Higgins, Adina Pitt | |
| 2010 | Jules Borkent, Deirdre Brennan, Rick Clodfelter, Sander Schwartz, David Levine | |
| 2011 | Tim Brooke-Hunt, Michael Carrington, Joe Godwin, Nicole Keeb, Adina Pitt | |
| 2012 | Andrew Beecham, Julien Borde, Jules Borkent, Layla Lewis, Larry Schwarz | |
| 2013 | Evan Baily, Sarah Muller, Adina Pitt, Karen Vermeulen, Brian Wright | |
| 2014 | Jules Borkent, Stephen Green, David Levine, Cecilia Persson, Alison Stewart | |
| 2016 | Julien Borde, Jules Borkent, Adina Pitt, Alice Webb |
The Shaw Rocket Prize Kids' Jury was made up of children from across Canada. Over the years it evolved, originally beginning with a few select schools, and expanding to include children from all of Canada in the 0-17 age group. Preschoolers 5 and under screened and vote for one of three programs suitable for their age group, as did children aged 6–12 and youth aged 13–17.[14]
Winners in bold
| Year | Nominees | |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | , Franny's Feet, Poko, Shoebox Zoo | |
| 2006 | Being Ian, Harry and his Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, Heads Up!, Naturally Sadie, Poko II | |
| 2007 | Make Some Noise, Hope for the Future, Instant Star, The Snow Queen | |
| 2008 | Life with Derek S3, Johnny Test S2, Roll Play | |
| 2009 | Sticks and Stones, Fred's Head, How She Move, Instant Star | |
| 2010 | Dino Dan, How to be Indie, In Real Life, Jimmy Two Shoes, League of Super Evil | |
| 2011 | Wingin' It S2, dirtgirlworld, My Babysitter's a Vampire (The Movie), Survive This S2, Wibbly Pig | |
| 2012 | My Babysitter's a Vampire S1, Justin Time, La Est La Question!, Stella and Sam S2, That's So Weird S3 | |
| 2013 | Preschool: Daniel Tiger's Neighbourhood, Bookaboo, Roll Play; Children 6-12: The Next Step, Almost Naked Animals S3, Rocket Monkeys; Youth 13-17: The Phantoms,, Blackbird | |
| 2014 | Preschool: Justin Time, Peg + Cat, Yup Yups; Children 6-12: Rocket Monkeys, Annedroids, Slugterra; Youth 13-17: If I Had Wings,, Unsung: Behind the Glee | |
| 2016 | Preschool: Kate & Mim Mim, Peg + Cat, The Moblees; Children 6-12: Slugterra, Bruno & Boots: Go Jump in the Pool, Snapshots; Youth 13-17: L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, Max & Shred, Snowtime |
| Program Title | Production Company | Producers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Being Ian | Studio B (Being Ian) Productions Inc. | Blair Peters | |
| Make Some Noise | Omni Film Productions Ltd | Brian Hamilton and Heather Hawthorn-Doyle | |
| Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Daphne Ballon, Laurie McLarty, Jeff Biederman, Suzanne French | |||
| Sticks and Stones | Cirrus Communications, Dream Street Pictures Inc. | Josée Vallée, André Béraud, Richard Speer, Timothy M. Hogan, Rick LeGuerrier | |
| Dino Dan | Sinking Ship Entertainment | J.J. Johnson, Blair Powers, Matt Bishop | |
| Ivan Schneeberg, David Fortier, Frank van Keeken | |||
| Brian Irving | |||
| Daniel Tiger's Neighbourhood | Vince Commisso, Steven Jarosz, Samantha Freeman Alpert, Kevin Morrison, Angela C. Santomero, Tanya Green, Wendy Harris, Julie Soebekti, Sarah Wallendjack | ||
| Temple Street Productions | Ivan Schneeberg, David Fortier, Frank van Keeken, Laura Harbin, Andrea Boyd, Laurie McLarty, Chloe van Keeken, Rachael Schaefer, Amy Wright, Jay Prychidny | ||
| The Phantoms | Dream Street Pictures Inc. | Timothy Hogan, Rick LeGuerrier | |
| Amy Robson, Mary Bredin, Frank Falcone | |||
| Rocket Monkeys | Ira Levy, Joan Lambur, Mark Evestaff | ||
| If I Had Wings | Really Real Films | Cynde Harmon | |
| Kate & Mim Mim | DHX Media | ||
| Slugterra | DHX Media | ||
| L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables | Breakthrough Entertainment |
The International Emmy Kids Awards is an annual event in February that recognizes the best in kids' programming around the world. The Shaw Rocket Fund was a presenting partner for five years beginning in 2013.